Assignment: Respond to the fellow classmate\’s forum response as if you are a classmate giving your positive/negative opinions/views of their post. USE THE UPLOADED MATERIAL FOR RESPONSE EXAMPLES. Their instructions for their post from the professor are in the following parenthesis: \”Describe how you will integrate media literacy into your teaching classroom and add how you\’d apply the six facets of understanding i.e. explanation, interpretation, application, perspective, empathy and self-knowledge.\”Peer Student\’s Post for Critique by Media Classroom/J. Yeater .: I think its safe to say that in today’s modern world of technology, we have become accustomed to being exposed to many different technologically advanced electronic devices that provide more than just entertainment; for instance computers and the world wide web offering practically an endless search capability, as well as access to books, games, and many other learning tools that can be beneficial to young minds. Curriculum based solely on textbooks is not technically “a thing of the past”, our society has just undergone significant changes over the years and has made available to us many beneficial resources that promote a healthier learning environment by increasing the motivation to learn, think, and understand what is being taught, and the message being relayed; whether from a textbook, television, or the internet or advertisements. It is frightening to see what is freely available to us and how easily anything can be intentionally presented in an inappropriate manner and not recognized as inappropriate by many as their interpretations of it may not be the same as what it truly is intended to mean. Our younger generations have access too and are susceptible to various media messages that may or may not be appropriate at their maturity level. Our ability to comprehend and fully understand a message, whether it is from a book or by some electronic or visual means, falls within the category of literacy. Media literacy is just that, our understanding of the material from a source outside of a standard textbook. As our classrooms continue to undergo changes, so do the interpretations of the learning concepts and how we define them. There has been various definitions come about in regards to media literacy. The following are from this weeks reading and were published seven years apart, but portray a similar definition of the term media literacy. The Alliance for a Media Literate America termed media literacy as, “ media literacy empowers people to be both critical thinkers and creative producers”, and “communication technologies transform society, they impact our understanding of ourselves, our communities, and our diverse cultures.” (Jacobs, pg141) The Partnership for 21st Century Skills peeled back the onion a little further and described media literacy as, “understanding both how and why messages are constructed and for what purpose, and how individuals interpret the message differently and how it can influence beliefs and behaviors.” Overall, media literacy can provide a more positive and enjoyable learning environment by encouraging creativity and critical thinking in order to reach the established learning standards. In order to incorporate media literacy into the classroom, teachers must first learn the culture of the generation they are dealing with. One of the biggest challenges to overcome is that teachers must first ensure they can distinguish themselves the good from the bad and what it is that will both encourage critical thinking and keep the students interest along the way in order to reach the established goal of understanding. One subject in particular caught my eye as I was reading, health education. This subject matter is everywhere you look and go, plastered on billboards, clothing, television, magazines, and readily accessible throughout the Internet.
